Thanks to a collaboration between the Staff Café and staff in the Department of Biological Sciences, food scraps and coffee grounds from the Café are now being recycled into compost for use in the garden, which provides a living research and learning space for staff and students in the Department.

The partnership came about in 2017, when Staff Café Head Chef and Manager Housien Koussan was looking at ways to reduce the amount of waste the Café was sending to landfill.

Approximately 33 per cent of food organics in Australian households is put in all-purpose garbage, with a large majority of this ending up in landfill. It is estimated that food organics contribute approximately three per cent of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions (particularly methane).

The Café now contributes 10 to 15 buckets of mixed kitchen scraps and coffee grounds to the bio-research garden each week.

The garden features raised garden beds, large compost pits and a worm farm, as well as being home to beehives currently being observed by Dr Andrew Barron and other researchers within Biological Sciences.

Biological Sciences technician Shaun Garvey, with compost bins in the department’s bio-research garden.

It is hoped that the other six Campus Life-managed food and beverage outlets on campus will soon join the Staff Café in recycling their organic waste, as Head of Campus Life Pete Boyle explains.

“Here at Campus Life we’re actively working on becoming a more sustainable business and increasing our sustainability rating, through the University’s Target: Better Futures initiative,” Pete says.

“We’re proud to have achieved bronze-level accreditation and we’re working towards Silver through encouraging more of these kinds of sustainability activities across the different parts of our business.”

The Staff Café is located at Level 3, 23 Wally’s Walk.

The scone-making master introduced classes last year to show staff how easy it is to make the treats.

“Last year’s classes were so popular that I have decided to triple the number of scone classes this year” Housien says.

“It was such an amazing feeling seeing the big smiles on staff member’s faces after they walked out of class last time. They not only baked the perfect scones, but they built relationships with others on campus by sharing this experience with each other.”

Each class is limited to four people and takes place in the Staff Café from 10am to 11am on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings in August beginning Tuesday 2 August and ending Wednesday 31 August. The cost is $20 and includes all ingredients, scones to take home and a coffee on arrival.

“My goal is for you to walk out not just knowing how to bake the perfect scones but also to be able to share the skills you learn with your family and friends. You will have the chance to also take the scones back to your office and share with them with your team members, if you don’t eat them all along the way,” Housien says.

For questions or to register for a class, email Chef Manager Housien Koussan.